Murder mystery, After, is the first book in the Inspector West series of crime/romance novels.
The stories in this series are about people committing crimes, messing up relationships and falling in love - not necessarily in the order.
After is the story of Paul Ford and his response to the inexplicable murder of Josie, his wife of twenty years. It explores how Josie’s unexpected death exposes her secrets, and leads to the unravelling of the ‘happily married couple’ facade that Paul and Josie had maintained for their families, including their teenage sons, Matthew and Luke.
The story examines relationships through the young love of Maggie and Matthew, the twenty year marriage of Paul and Josie, and the developing connection between Paul and Marie.
The novel also explores how families pull together in times of crisis and the ways people search for love in unlikely places. It also touches on the darker side of life as it delves into the motives of the killer.
While Paul is grappling with Josie’s secrets and his own failings, Detective Inspector Carl West is attempting to solve Josie’s murder.
Inspector West is supported by Detective Sergeant Nina Strong and Detective Constable Harry Fuller. As the story unfolds, we discover that the inspector has more than a professional interest in his sergeant, and that murders are not solved overnight.